West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1887-12-15


advised him TO murder and rob. or that
have had eyes on him for week past
he's the biggest liar on earth.
Well, curiously enough, we had n mur.
derer on hand without murder. That
Is, no crime had yet been reported. I
mad secured the murderer without
hunt. Ii was not so easy to find the
murder. n telegram was sent TO the
agent at the station where Short had
boarded the train, and he replied that he
had heard OF no crime. It was O'Clock
IN the afternoon before he sent dis.
patch, saying that an old couple, living
about three miles away, had been found
IN their house with their heads chopped
TO pieces with an axe. That was the
crime OF which Short was guilty and for
which he was tried. When he knew that
he was in for it he turned boaster. and
ielt himself a hero. lie was delighted 10
give me all the particulars. He said:
Il lived with Uncle and Aunt Desbro
until / was of age. Indeed, was an
adopted son, both my own parents being
dead. came into the city nine wears
ago as a dry goods clerk. After time
got In with some bad fellows, lost nv
place aud went TO the dogs. For the
last three years / have been a gambler.
boxer, and confidence man. Uncle went
back on me good while ago. refusing
TO give me dollar. lie had i'm his
hands money which honestly belonged
TO me, for had worked hard for him for
thirteen years. l went out there ,he
other day, to see il he would not Give
me $500 TO buy an interest i'm a saloon.
Aunt Mary was for giving il to me, but
the Old man was as ugly as Turk We
got into wrangle at the supper table.
and he ordered me out of the house.
Invent, W said Short after pause. ''and
1t was only after that l got the idea of
robbing the house. The old man neye,
banked dollar, but kept everything in
bureau In his bedroom. / sat down on n
fence corner on the highway, and thought
II all over. i made up my mind that ]
would enter the house after they got &c
sleep, and steal what could lay hand,
on. did go in about IL o'clock, gain.
ing access by a kitchen window. took
the axe in with me TO intimidatc them i'm
case l was discovered. While my uncl,
was sixty years old, he was n vigorous.
hearty man, and capable of making q
strong fight. / don't know whether he
suspected might come back, but | had
not reached the bedroom when some
slight noise | made reused him out of
bed, and he struck light and discov-
cred me.
IL want it 10 stand in court that he
was the aggressor. When he saw me he
yelled out TO know what / was doing
there. told him / was bound and de.
termined TO have 5000. and IL he would
count it out / would go away and never
trouble him for another dollar. lie had
big club at the head Of his bed, and
instead Of stopping to argue with me he
seized the weapon and rushed at me. /
had to use the axe. He would have
Killed me If hadn't struck him down.
Then my aunt came out, screaming for
help. and she was about TO escape from
the house when / hit her. After Ihad
made sure they were both dead | went at
1t to rob the house, and the plunder |
got you found in tie satchel That's
the whole story, sir, and if the LAWYERS
can make anything else out of it, let
'em.
1t seemed such straight case that
there could be no loophole Of escape. but
within three days after Short had con
icssed TO me he engaged two LAWYERS. re.
canted all he had said, and when put on
trial plead insanity. His friends. as was
afterward known, raised 5000 for each
lawyer, and the lawyers moved heaven
and earth TO earn their money. One of
the instances of Shorts alleged insanity
was clear case of bribery and perjury. K
man was brought forward TO swear that
nc sat behind the two of us as we came
~ That morning on the train, and that
he heard Short tell me that nc had killed
seventeen people and was then on his
way to Heaven TO tell God about it. The
person in the seat behind us was n
woman, while the seat ahead was occu-
pied by two women. This liars tcsti-
mony had great weight, or enough to
call for commission Of doctors TO ex-
anime AID pass upon the question. and
before the case was finished Short died in
ms prison bed Of heart disease. -Neso
Yorb Sar.